Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more by reading the Frequently Asked Questions below:

How Does Inspire Work?
- Inspire works inside your body with your natural breathing process
- It delivers mild stimulation to key airway muscles, allowing the airway to remain open during sleep
- Inspire is controlled by a small handheld sleep remote

Will Inspire Work for You?
You may qualify for Inspire if you:
- Have been diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
- Struggle with or can’t get consistent benefit from CPAP
- Are not significantly obese
Your doctor will also examine your airway and review your most recent sleep study

How to Prepare for Your Appointment
- Bring your most recent sleep study
- Be ready to talk about your struggles using CPAP and any sleep-related topics including:
- Prescription sleep medication
- Insomnia
- Sleep anxiety
- Write down any questions you have for the doctor

How Much Does Inspire Cost?
- Most insurance providers covers Inspire
- Broad private insurance coverage
- Medicare coverage across the US
- Many VA and Military Hospitals
- Cost will depend on the details of your insurance plan
- Most U.S. insurance companies cover Inspire
- Over 400 insurance companies have covered the cost of Inspire for patients who meet the eligibility requirements
- Typically, you can expect to pay any unmet deductible along with any copay or coinsurance fee for a surgery
- Medicare is covered across the United States for those who meet criteria
- Inspire is available for veterans at select VA and military hospitals across the US
- Visit the Find a Doctor page or chat with an Inspire Advisor to see if there is a VA or military hospital near you that offers Inspire
- If there is not a center near you, you can possibly utilize a program called the Community Care Program, allowing you to receive care at a civilian hospital
- To contact Inspire’s dedicated VA Patient Liaison, email [email protected]

Steps to Get Inspire
There are three simple steps to sleeping with Inspire:
- An airway exam
- The Inspire procedure
- Turning on Inspire & confirming the settings

Airway Exam
- The airway exam is a very routine and non-surgical exam
- You’re given a short-acting medication to put you to sleep. While you’re asleep, a camera records how your airway opens and closes
- The whole exam only takes about 20 minutes, and when you’re done, you’ll find out if Inspire is right for you

Inspire Procedure
- Inspire is placed under the skin, in a same-day, outpatient procedure that takes about two hours
- Most patients take over-the-counter pain medication and resume non-strenuous activities within a few days
- You can resume more strenuous activities within a couple of weeks

What Does Inspire Feel Like?
- Inspire sends mild stimulation to the motor nerve that controls your tongue, moving it out of the way
- The stimulation is very gentle and designed to move the tongue forward without disturbing your sleep. It should not be painful or uncomfortable.

Life with Inspire
- Inspire should not limit your normal activities
- The current model of Inspire can undergo MRI on the head, neck and extremities provided specific conditions are followed
- Having a pacemaker should not disqualify you from becoming a candidate for Inspire
The visibility of the scars will depend on your skin tone and individual healing process. There are three incisions made: one under the chin, one below the collarbone, and one on the side of the rib cage.

James Morales
Inspire Date: June 15, 2017
Inspire Date: June 15, 2017

Karen Wolk
Inspire Date: July 25, 2018
Inspire Date: July 25, 2018

Lottie Davis
Inspire Date: March 26, 2019
Inspire Date: March 26, 2019
- Like CPAP, an Inspire doctor can print out a usage record of Inspire to show the medical examiner that you are using your prescribed sleep apnea treatment
- By proving compliance, there should be no issues renewing your commercial driver’s license
- A significant decrease in snoring has been found as a secondary effect of Inspire
- 90% of bed partners report no or soft snoring by their partner
- The battery in Inspire is designed to last for approximately 11 years
- Once it is running low, it is replaced during a simple outpatient procedure
- Generally, the Inspire system should be checked 1 to 2 times a year

Consequences of Untreated Sleep Apnea
Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious risk of:
- Stroke
- Heart Attack
- Diabetes
- Workplace or automobile accidents

Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Treatment options for sleep apnea include:
- Lifestyle Changes
- Exercise
- Not drinking alcohol before bedtime
- Sleeping on your side
- CPAP
- Oral Appliance
- Inspire
- Surgery to remove blockages